Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Pike Co. News - 10.5.26

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Pike Co. News - 10.5.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Now, we turn to the reading of the Appalachian News
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Express for news in Pikeville and Pike County. As a reminder,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Radio Eye is a reading service intended for people who
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  Speaker 1: are blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: to read printed material. The Appalachian News Express is donated
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: to Radio Eye by the publisher. Your reader today is Naya.
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  Speaker 1: We will begin with the edition dated October 2nd through 5th.
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: And our first headline is Annual Event Helps to Bridge
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Gap for High School Seniors by Terry L. May, News Editor.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: For the third year in a row, Pikeville Medical Center
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  Speaker 1: sponsored a program to encourage high school seniors to think
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  Speaker 1: about their futures and to consider using their unique talents
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: and skills in eastern Kentucky. Quote, I know some of
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: you will leave, PMC Executive Vice President and COO Kansas
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Justice told the students attending the bridge at Appalachian Wireless
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  Speaker 1: Arena on September 29th. You will go away for school
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: or for training or just because you want to see
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: the world. And that's great. Go learn everything you can
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: and grow, she continued. But let me plant one seed
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: in your heart. I want it to stay there quietly
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: until the time is right. Find your way back home
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  Speaker 1: because Eastern Kentucky needs a growing workforce more than anywhere
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  Speaker 1: else in this country, which means Eastern Kentucky needs you
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: more than anywhere else in this country, end quote. Justice
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: told the students that in a larger city or urban area,
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: they would be a number in the crowd, but by
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: returning home, they could become a person of impact. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: here your work will have faith, she said. This is
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: a meaning that no salary can buy. Come home to
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: where your paycheck stretches further. Come home to communities where
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: people still show up to help each other when trouble arrives,
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: even before you have to ask, end quote. Morehead State
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: University Athletics Director and former University of Pikeville men's basketball
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: coach Kelly Wells served as the keynote speaker. He challenged
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  Speaker 1: the high school seniors to look toward personal development resilience
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: in life, and the pursuit of excellence in things they do.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: Wells compared a Hershey's chocolate bar to a Ghilardelli chocolate bar.
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  Speaker 1: The Hershey bar is sweet, tastes good, familiar, easily accessible,
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  Speaker 1: and meets expectations, Kelly said. Quote, however, if someone were
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  Speaker 1: to present you with Ghilardelli chocolate, we're into a whole
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  Speaker 1: different game, he said. It's top of the class. It's
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  Speaker 1: premium quality. It's considered a luxury. It creates an experience
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  Speaker 1: that even exceeds expectation. One of my challenges to you,
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  Speaker 1: as you sit here today, is to find an opportunity
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  Speaker 1: to chase something extraordinary. What in your life are you
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  Speaker 1: settling for Hershey's when you could have an opportunity to
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  Speaker 1: fill it with Ghirardelli, he continued. Most would say that
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  Speaker 1: average is good, but I have never built myself on
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: trying to chase average. My challenge to you is to
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  Speaker 1: find things in your life that will push you to
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  Speaker 1: what extraordinary looks like. End quote. In addition to being extraordinary,
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: Wells also challenged the students to live a life that
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: will be transformative in the world around them. Quote, The
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: stories you tell yourself each day, the opportunities that you
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  Speaker 1: create for yourself each day, those matter, he said. Look
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  Speaker 1: for possibilities, not problems. Look for potential, not excuses. Look
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  Speaker 1: for the good in people, not what is wrong with them.
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  Speaker 1: If you look for the great things in this region,
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  Speaker 1: you will also find them. Let your passion show. End quote.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: Wells spoke to them about the importance of developing a
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  Speaker 1: strong work ethic, a healthy work-life balance, an attitude of
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  Speaker 1: perseverance in all the things that they undertake. Quote, my
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: quote here is very important and I wanted to take
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: it with I want you to take it with you,
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  Speaker 1: he said. If you don't sacrifice for what you want,
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  Speaker 1: then what you want becomes your sacrifice. I want to
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  Speaker 1: encourage you to be extraordinary in all your thoughts, Wells continued.
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  Speaker 1: Find the difference between the Hershey life and finding the
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  Speaker 1: Ghirardelli in your life, end quote. The bridge highlighted the
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  Speaker 1: many job possibilities, both in clinical and non-clinical areas, available
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  Speaker 1: at Pico Medical Center. ranging from physicians, nurses, clinical and
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  Speaker 1: allied health workers, to administrators, marketing and public relations specialists,
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  Speaker 1: clerical workers, cooks, and tradespeople. Justice and James Glass, directors
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: of PMC's Workforce Development Department, said that Pikeville Medical Center, quote,
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  Speaker 1: is a city, end quote, within itself. and offers countless
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  Speaker 1: opportunities for people to develop a career that they can
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  Speaker 1: excel in no matter what career path they choose to pursue. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: The bridge is an opportunity for us to bring in
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  Speaker 1: all of the seniors in Pike County and Letcher County
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  Speaker 1: here and to learn about various careers, Glass said. We've
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  Speaker 1: brought in over 40 different businesses in our region here.
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  Speaker 1: We've brought our post-secondary partners from all over the region
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  Speaker 1: to be here. We want to keep these kids here
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  Speaker 1: in eastern Kentucky, he continued. We don't want them to leave,
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  Speaker 1: so we are showcasing not only what we have to
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  Speaker 1: offer at Pikeville Medical Center, but also what business in
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  Speaker 1: our area offers as well. That is a huge asset
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  Speaker 1: for everybody, end quote. Our next article is entitled, University
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: of Pikeville Maintains Enrollment Rate, by Olivia Morgan, staff writer.
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: The University of Pikeville enrolled a total of 3,028 students
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  Speaker 1: in the fall 2026 semester, according to admissions data provided
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  Speaker 1: by the university. According to the data, the university welcomed
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: 425 new undergraduates, including 341 first-year students and 84 transfer students.
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: The Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine enrolled 171 students. and
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: the Kentucky College of Optometry added 60 new students. The
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  Speaker 1: Tanner College of Dental Medicine enrolled 53 students in June.
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: UPike president Dr. Burton Webb said the university has been
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  Speaker 1: showing growth in recent years. Quote, I think we're still growing,
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  Speaker 1: which is good, he said. That's the trajectory that we've
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  Speaker 1: been on for a while. We have the largest medical
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  Speaker 1: school class ever. We have a dental school class, optometry stable,
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  Speaker 1: and the master's degree are doing pretty well, end quote.
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  Speaker 1: Leb said the departments at the university have devoted their
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  Speaker 1: time toward bringing in and keeping students engaged on campus. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: of course, the admissions office does a great job recruiting,
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  Speaker 1: he said. Then when you can combine that with all
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: of the coaches who are trying to grow our athletics program,
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  Speaker 1: Those two are probably the biggest driving forces on the
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  Speaker 1: undergraduate side, end quote. Community in the eastern Kentucky region
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  Speaker 1: plays a large role when it comes to UPike's success,
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  Speaker 1: Webb said. Quote, the community is a part of it
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  Speaker 1: in that we've got more restaurants downtown that are walkable
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  Speaker 1: for our students. There are places for them to shop,
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  Speaker 1: he said. It's all part of what we're trying to
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  Speaker 1: do together. It's basically Appalachian hospitality. That's not present everywhere
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  Speaker 1: in this country, he continued. I think we do a
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  Speaker 1: good job with that, end quote. Webb thanked all those
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  Speaker 1: involved at UPIPE for their hard work and commitment to
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  Speaker 1: bringing success to its students. Quote, he said, it goes
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  Speaker 1: beyond the students, with the faculty and the staff too,
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  Speaker 1: end quote. Our next article is entitled MWD Implementing Safety Protocols.
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: by Terry L. May, news editor. Following a recent incident
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  Speaker 1: where a Mountain Water District night crew was threatened at gunpoint,
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  Speaker 1: the district's board of commissioners approved measures to improve employee
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  Speaker 1: safety during its September 24th meeting. The discussion, prompted by
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: a question from Commissioner James Sloan, who asked how district
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  Speaker 1: employees are identified while working in the field and how
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  Speaker 1: visible they are at night. MWD General Manager Tammy Olson
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  Speaker 1: told the commissioners that all employees wear name tags and
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  Speaker 1: drive vehicles with Mountain Water branding. In addition, at night
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  Speaker 1: they have headlamps, reflective apparel, and vehicles that have light
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  Speaker 1: bars and strobes. Field crews also wear body cameras. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: Most people don't know that we have a night shift,
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  Speaker 1: but it's not like they're wearing dark clothes and sneaking
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  Speaker 1: around on people's property, she said. Most of the night
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  Speaker 1: work is done on state roads or country roads. It
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  Speaker 1: is not on individual properties, end quote. During the September
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  Speaker 1: 11th incident, two Mountain Water employees were sitting inside their
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  Speaker 1: vehicle at Dick's Fort in the Sydney area, looking for
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  Speaker 1: a leak when two men approached them in another vehicle.
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  Speaker 1: and brandished a weapon at the employees, Olsen said. Quote,
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  Speaker 1: They were sitting on the road right away and not
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  Speaker 1: on anyone's property, she said. They were on their iPad
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  Speaker 1: looking for a leak, and these guys pulled up on them.
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  Speaker 1: The employees got out of the situation, end quote. She
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  Speaker 1: said the two employees left the area and called Kentucky
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  Speaker 1: State Police, who responded to the incident. According to court records,
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  Speaker 1: one of the men was arrested on charges of first-degree
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  Speaker 1: wanton endangerment, with two counts, possession of a defaced firearm,
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  Speaker 1: and convicted felon in possession of a handgun. The second
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  Speaker 1: man was lodged in jail on a charge of obstructing
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  Speaker 1: governmental operations and resisting arrest. Olson also reminded the board
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  Speaker 1: of a similar incident from a few years ago where
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  Speaker 1: another night crew also had a gun pulled on them.
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  Speaker 1: Field crews are always at some risk just because they
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  Speaker 1: are out in public and are the visible face of
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  Speaker 1: the district, Olson said. However, she also expressed concerns for
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  Speaker 1: office employees. Quote, I am afraid that one day they
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  Speaker 1: are going to come into this office and the situation
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  Speaker 1: will escalate. she told commissioners. I can't protect them. We
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  Speaker 1: talked several years ago about doing some remodeling in the
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  Speaker 1: lobby so that customers only have access to the lobby
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  Speaker 1: and not any of the offices. We have to understand
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  Speaker 1: that a lot of these people, when they come here,
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  Speaker 1: are already ticked off, Olsen continued. The staff has been
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  Speaker 1: trained to de-escalate, but when they start pointing guns at
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  Speaker 1: us in the field... That trickles down to them having
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  Speaker 1: to come into the office to reapply and pay fees
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: for illegal work or usage. Olsen said that under the
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: plan that had been discussed, there will be four customer
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: service windows and all office employees will be cross-trained. This
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: means walking customers would only have to deal with one person,
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: whether they come in for turn-ons, new taps, steward taps,
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: or payment. This will be much more efficient, she added.
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  Speaker 1: Right now, if you want to pay a bill, you
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: go to the cashier. But if you need to pay
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  Speaker 1: a bill and turn something on or off, you have
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  Speaker 1: to go to the cashier, plus go to somebody's office.
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  Speaker 1: With the new plan, it would be a one-stop shop issue,
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  Speaker 1: end quote. Quote, my main issue is keeping our employees safe,
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  Speaker 1: Olson continued. Employee safety is paramount for me, and we
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  Speaker 1: are going to do everything we can to keep them safe,
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  Speaker 1: end quote. The 2026 fiscal year budget, according to Olson,
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  Speaker 1: includes $ 50, 000 for building maintenance, and funds for the remodel
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: could be pulled from that line item. She said all
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: work could be done in-house, making it much more cost-efficient.
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: Our next article is entitled PayYCOM Honors Esteemed Physician and
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: Educator at Founders Dinner, a special to the News Express.
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: Chris Yontz, D.O., was named the 2026 John A. Strauss-Snyder, D.O.,
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  Speaker 1: Memorial Lecturer during the 17th Annual University of Pikeville, Kentucky,
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: College of Osteopathic Medicine Founders' Dinner on September 25th. According
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: to a statement from UPIPE, the honor recognizes Yant's contributions
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: to the osteopathic field and his commitment to developing the
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: next generation of physicians. Established in honor of John A. Strassenider, D.O.,
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: the founding dean of KYCOM, the memorial lectureship is presented
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: annually to honor physicians and educators who exemplified the dedication
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: to medical education and service that characterized Strassenider's career, this
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: statement said. Previous recipients include G. Chad Perry III, Erlin Coleman,
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: Benny Ray Bailey, Paul E. Patton, William H. Owens, Terry Dotson,
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: Harold H. Howell-Smith, Walter E. May, William Betts, Edward G. Stiles,
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: Steve R. Harris, Julia H. Smith, Jody Brown, Rakesh Sachdeva,
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: Jody Johnson, and Seema Sachdeva. Jans is the Associate Dean
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: of Clinical Medicine for the Harrogate Campus at Lincoln Memorial University.
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: Debus College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he oversees the clinical
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: curriculum for first and second year medical students, the statement said.
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  Speaker 1: He also serves as associate professor of family medicine and
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: director of clinical distance learning. A 2006 graduate of Pikeville
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: College School of Osteopathic Medicine, now KYCOM, Yance completed his
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: internship in family medicine residency at the University of Tennessee
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. The statement said
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: he is board certified by both the American Osteopathic Board
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: of Family Physicians and the American Board of Family Medicine.
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: With more than 17 years of experience in medical education,
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: Yance has dedicated his career to developing competent, compassionate, and
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: accountable physicians through innovative clinical education and Mentorship in the
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: Integration of Osteopathic Principles. During his remarks, Jans reflected on
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: his journey to becoming a physician and how Dr. Stronsnyder
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: impacted his life. Quote, I always wanted to be a teacher,
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: and I think he saw some of himself in me,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: said Jans. Having been in education for this long, I
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: understand him more. He influenced my life in so many
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: ways and the lives of many others. His legacy lies
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: in us. End quote. Our next article is entitled, KYCOM
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: Welcomes Class of 2030 at Annual White Coat Ceremony. A
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: special to the Appalachian newspapers. The University of Pikeville and
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed 171 first-year medical
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: students into the medical profession on September 26th during its
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: annual White Coat Ceremony at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg.
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: The ceremony, according to a statement from UPike, marked an
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: important milestone in the students' medical education as they received
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: their white coats, which served as a symbol of professionalism, compassion,
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: and the trust patients place in physicians. White Coat Ceremonies,
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: the statement said, are rites of passage for beginning medical
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: students The ritual encourages a psychological contract that emphasizes professionalism
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: and empathy in the practice of medicine and focuses on
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: the importance of both scientific excellence and compassionate care for
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: the patient. New Pike President Burton Webb, Ph.D., welcomed attendees
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: and reflected on the significance of the day, while Vice
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: President for Health Affairs and KYCOM Dean Joe E. Kingrey, D.O.,
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: encouraged students to reflect on their journey and look toward
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: the future to prepare for what lies ahead. Quote, Tonight,
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: as you receive your white coat, take a moment to
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: remember who helped you reach this stage, Kingery said. Then
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: think about the patients whom you have yet to meet.
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: You have much to learn, and we are here to
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: help you become the physicians that your future patients deserve.
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: End quote. The keynote address, the statement said, was delivered
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: by Richard R. Thacker, D-O-M-C-M-A-C-O-I, President of the American Osteopathic Association.
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: He also serves as Associate Dean of Clinical Sciences and
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Alabama College of
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: Osteopathic Medicine in Dotham, Alabama. With more than three decades
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: of experience, Thacker has held leadership roles in clinical practice,
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: medical education, and osteopathic advocacy, the statement said. Quote, I
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: hope Sunday it will be in your best interest to
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: stay in this region and provide the care that's needed,
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: comprehensive osteopathic medical care. Do what you do to the
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: best of your ability and help folks wherever help is needed,
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: Thacker said. I want you to remember and enjoy this moment,
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: and you will receive your white coat today. I'm very
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: proud of you. Your administration and the faculty members are
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: very proud of you, but no one's prouder than your
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: loved ones here today. So, congratulations, end quote. In the
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: presence of their family and friends, members of the Class
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: of 2030 recited the Pledge of Commitment, promising to uphold
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: highest standards of competency, empathy, and lifelong learning as they
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: begin their journey toward becoming osteopathic physicians, the statement said.
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: Visit youtube.com slash at upikebears to watch the ceremony in
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: its entirety. Our next article is entitled, You Pike Music
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: Program to Perform Fall Concert by Olivia Morgan, staff writer.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: The University of Pikeville's concert band is gearing up for
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: its upcoming fall concert. The fall concert will be in
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: the directorial debut for instrumental music and band's director, Dr.
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: Kelly Taylor. He said he is enthusiastic about the upcoming performance. Quote,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: It is my directorial debut here at UPike and also
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: as a college-age professor, so it's a little bit of
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: a milestone for me, Taylor said. I always get both
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: excited and nervous, but I never let it show because
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: the students need that leadership, end quote. The concert band
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: is composed of UPike students and local community members, according
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: to Taylor. He said they have been working hard as
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: a group to perfect their performance. Quote, This group has
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: surprised me with how quickly they're picking things up and
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: how eager the students are to learn, he said. It's
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: also nice to have the community members in there to
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: have that mentorship level. The students get to see that
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: it's a lifelong thing, end quote. Taylor said audiences can
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: expect a great musical performance full of different musical styles. Quote,
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: I think they're going to see a variety of different
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: musical styles presented, he said. They're also going to see
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: a cohort of community members and college students working together
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: to create music and do something in tandem. It's a
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: benefit not only to our students, but to our community
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: as well. The fall concert will be held at 3 p.m.
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: on October 4th. It will be located on the seventh
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: floor of the Health Professions Education Building. on UPike's campus.
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: Admission is free. Our next article is entitled, Pike Central
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: Band Continues Winning Tradition, a News Express staff report. The
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: Pike Central Marching Hawks continued its 2026 competitive season on
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: September 26th, earning grand champion honors in the Chilhowee Apple
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: Festival Marching Band Competition in Chilhowee, Virginia. The victory marks
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: Pike Central's second consecutive Grand Championship in just two weeks
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: and ties school histories for the most Grand Championships earned
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: in a single competitive season, PCHS Director of Bands Jason
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: Johnson told the News Express. The Marching Hawks began the
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: day by participating in the Chill Howie Apple Festival parade
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: before taking the field later that afternoon for competition, he said.
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: During the competition, Pike Central earned numerous awards, including first
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: place marching, first place music, first place general effect, first
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: place percussion, first place color guard, second place field commander,
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: first place Class 3A and Grand Champion. According to Johnson,
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: the Chill Howie victory follows Pike Central's Grand Championship at
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: the Sissomville Marching Band Invitational on September 19th, giving the
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: Marching Hawks two consecutive overall championships. The 2026 Marching Hawks
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: are performing their production of Reach, featuring the music of
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: Eastern Kentucky pianist and composer Corey Carhill. The production explores
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: the ideas of reaching up, reaching out, reaching in, and
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: ultimately reaching beyond. Quote, This is a special moment for
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: our students and our program, Johnson said. Winning two Grand
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: Championships in a row and tying the school record for
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: Grand Championships in a season is It's something these students
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: should be incredibly proud of. What makes me proudest is
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: how they continue to work, support one another, and represent
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: Pike Central and Eastern Kentucky. They aren't finished reaching yet.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: End quote. With two grand championships already secured, the Marching
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: Hawks continue a historic season as they prepare for the
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: next stage of competition, including their Bands of America debut.
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: Our next little article is entitled, You Pike Coach Recognize,
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: a special to the Appalachian Express. University of Pikeville football
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: coach Chris Elliott was recognized by the Pikeville City Commission
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: for his exceptional community leadership during its September 28th meeting. Quote,
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: Coach Elliott has brought his student athletes out to volunteer
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: on various city projects. Pikeville Mayor Jimmy Carter said. Coach
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: Elliott has continued to demonstrate a strong commitment to service
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: and civic pride in Pikeville and instills this commitment in
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: the students and we thank him and the students. End quote.
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: Our next mini article is entitled Pikeville Prepares for Fall
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: with Downtown Decorations. A special to the News Express contributed
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: to by Olivia Morgan. Pikeville has begun preparing for fall
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: with ornate decorations dispersed throughout town. Quote, Our beautiful fall
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: displays are a wonderful way to celebrate the season and
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: add even more charm to downtown Pikeville, Pikeville Main Street
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: Executive Director Jill Dotson said. We're grateful to Kevin Hall
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: and the UMG staff for their creativity and hard work
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: in creating these inviting spaces. There's no better place to
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: experience fall than Pikeville, and we encourage everyone to come
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: and visit. Take a photo and share your Pikeville fall
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: moments using the hashtag VisitPikeville and the hashtag PikevilleMainStreet. This
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: concludes today's reading of the Appalachian News Express. Your reader
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: has been Nya. Thank you for joining me, and now
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: please stay tuned for more programming from Radio Eye.